Lost and Yet Not Lost
by Tetsumi Amaya
Summary: Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang all simultaneously feel a sudden bout of grief course through their very beings. They have lost someone precious and yet they haven't. They know who it is and yet they don't know who it is. (This is a tribute to Monty Oum, to honor him and his drive to create) [ONE-SHOT]


**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY as it will always truly belong to Monty Oum.**

**Author's Notes:**** Monty Oum, as many of you have probably heard, has passed away as of this past Sunday. This is truly a tragedy and I myself pray for his family as this will be a difficult time for them. He was a truly talented individual that had a great future ahead of him and the world now has lost one of it's most creative and talented individuals. This is something I put together upon hearing this sad news and I dedicate it to him. Farewell and godspeed Monty Oum.**

* * *

Ruby clutched at her chest as if someone had driven a nail right through her heart. Feeling an unknown weight bearing down upon her shoulders, she felt herself fall to her knees. Before she knew it, a strange sensation was making its way from her eyes and down her cheeks.

_Tears…?_

She felt her breathing grow erratic. For some unexplainable reason, she was stricken by grief. In the midst of her pain, she glanced up at her surroundings. Team RWBY was outside, simply passing the time as it was their day off and it was Blake's turn to pick their team activity.

"What the hell…What the freaking hell…" Hearing her sister, Ruby glanced over at Yang. She was on all fours and like Ruby, had tears streaming down her cheeks. Slightly curious now, she glanced over at her other teammates, Weiss and Blake.

Blake was propped against a tree and was (or rather had been) reading a book to which was now lying on the ground. Blake's eyes were wide as saucers, the normally stoic girl's face full of emotion and from what Ruby could tell, was also tearing up. A sniffle grabbed Ruby's attention, and even more surprising, Weiss looked to be in great pain and was trying (and failing) to hold back tears.

"Wha…Why…are we…Crying…No, I am a *sniffle* Schnee…We don't…"She brought a hand to her face trying to hide the fact she was breaking down.

Just what the heck was going on? Ruby was confused and extremely upset. She hadn't been this upset since she had lost her mother and yet she couldn't pinpoint what was causing this grief.

_Okay, something is very wrong here…Yang, me, Weiss, and Blake were all just laying around and now it feels like….._ What did it feel like exactly? Ruby pondered this thought even as she felt immense pain. It wasn't physical pain. It was definitely similar to when she lost her mom. _This feels like…I lost somebody again…Someone just as important. _

"Guys…" Ruby stopped and whimpered for a moment. Why couldn't she get a hold of herself! She was the leader after all! She had to get to the bottom of this.

"Guys *sniffle*, do you feel it also?"

"Feel what!? If you mean like someone stabbing me in the heart sis, then maybe?" Yang was having difficulty keeping her emotions in check and Ruby could even feel a familiar heat beginning to pour from her sister's sembalance.

"Damn it! Damn it!" Yang cursed and pounded her fist into the ground.

After an agonizing several minutes, Ruby began to feel her heart rate finally start to slow despite all the anguish still there. "That's what I mean sis, like…like someone…"

"Like we lost somebody important," finished Blake. Ruby nodded.

"Someone important? That doesn't explain why all of us would start losing it at the same time. And who could be that important to all of us," reasoned Weiss.

Ruby took a deep breath. "I-I don't really know. I mean the only ones that all of us know together is Team JNPR maybe?"

"All of team JNPR is still accounted for you dunce, they were all playing video games in their dorm when we left." Weiss responded irritably.

"Ugh! I know Weiss but…Okay I just don't know! Yes I know! Jaune and Nora and Pyrrha and Ren are….Wait…Ren…?" As Ruby said Ren's name, all of team RWBY glanced at each other confused.

"Okay, why are we all reacting to Ren's name?" Blake finally asked.

"The guy is in there too last I checked," Yang added in.

"Okay guys, maybe…maybe I'm losing it…I think we lost…'another' Ren?" Ruby asked timidly.

"Another Ren? We only know one Ren and he dresses in all green and is the only one able to understand Nora…" But even as Weiss said it, she couldn't help but feel Ruby might really be onto something. Team RWBY fell into another silence.

"That's what I mean though! It's like…it's the Ren we know and…it's not the Ren we know? Like I said, 'other Ren'!" Ruby said trying to get her thoughts together.

"I think Rubes has a point, it's like, in another world, another Ren…" Yang felt another sharp pain through her chest before she could continue her statement.

Ruby finally decided to continue saying the feelings that came to mind. "This 'other Ren'…I think he was like someone that was always watching over us. Like…watching us grow? Like a really really good friend!" Ruby surprised herself with that train of thought. She wasn't even sure where these thoughts were coming from but in her heart, she knew it was definitely 100% true.

"I'm with ya there Rubes! Like, he made us what we are today." Yang said as a smile made its way onto her face.

"I'm not sure if I should question either of your sanities...but…I don't disagree," Weiss finally said begrudgingly.

"Pfft, yea yea princess, you totally agree with Rubes," Yang said with a small chuckle.

"Shut it you brute!" Weiss said red-faced.

Blake also had a smile on her face as she looked over at Ruby. "Hey Ruby, could you keep going," Blake asked earnestly. She also was very intrigued because part of her just knew Ruby was actually right. It was akin to a book she once read and thought she had forgotten but in reality, she never really forgot. An old friend. Well…An old friend who was extremely similar to Ren but she wasn't going to question it anymore.

Ruby nodded brightly. "So yea! 'Other Ren'…I think he was the one who really kept pushing us forward. Like gave us this life! Ugh…Okay I know that totally sounds silly but I know he was really there! Behind the scenes, doing it all!" Ruby's expression turned once more to grief as she rambled. "But…but now…he can't do it anymore. Something..Something happened…and now he can't do it anymore…" Ruby looked down as tears threatened to spill once more. Yang put a hand to her back and rubbed soothingly. Blake needed to hear more though. That couldn't be it, she hoped there was more!

"Ruby….What…what do you think he would say to us?" With that question, Weiss focused in on Ruby as well. Ruby looked up and wiped her eyes once more and took a breath. Her eyes were now resolute. Like they had figured out something and she was determined.

"I-I think he would tell us to keep going. To move forward…to…to do more…to create more." Ruby finally said. _To create more?_ Where had that thought come from? Ruby shook away the question though. She was going with her instinct at this point anyways.

"To create more?" Weiss said questioningly. Ruby nodded. Blake and Yang shared a glance and also nodded their agreement. "Totally! I agree with Rubes! 'Other Ren' where ever you are man, I want to say thank you!" Yang finally said regaining her old energy. Blake smiled at the energetic blonde and even Weiss couldn't help but start to smirk. "Yes! I say thank you also, for everything you did," Ruby said joining in alongside her sister.

"So guys, call me crazy-"

**"–you ARE crazy-"**

"SHUT IT PRINCESS, but I say we go right up to JNPR's dorm and group hug Ren." Yang said excitedly.

"That…I blame you Yang, but I think I wouldn't mind doing that," Blake said with a smirk.

"He is going to think we have all lost our minds…but I'll be a good teammate and join in I guess…" Weiss said with a huff.

Ruby jumped up from her spot, "Alrighty! Team RWBY, our next team event then is...MASSIVE GROUP HUG TO LIE REN!"


End file.
